Questions and Answers by John Norton Loughborough

California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists · Oakland, Cal. · Dec 3, 1874

Questions and Answers.

By John Norton Loughborough

BRO. J. W. B., from Dist. No. 2, inquires, Would it not be well for the State Missionary Secretary to furnish each Director a list of paid members of each church in his District, so that he may know who in his District are not paid members, and induce all possible to pay their $1.00 each and become workers in the Missionary cause?

Reply. Yes, I have written the Secretary to send out such lists, and before this meets your eyes those lists will be promptly placed in the hands of every Director. Let there be as prompt a work in each District. Secure the names of every brother or sister, and friend who are not already members, as paid members to Missionary Society, and return these lists to sister Lucie Bush our State Missionary Secretary, at Woodland, that she may enroll them upon her list book.

Bro. C. C., from District No. 9, inquires, How many books are needed by a District Secretary, and how should they be kept?

Reply. I do not know the custom of our brethren east, but, we read in the Constitution of the Missionary Society, in Art. V., SEC. 4, that the "duties of the District Secretary with each church will be similar to those of the State Secretary with each District." With this view of the subject I should judge they would need three books, I thus advised our State Secretary, to have one book for Records, one book for a cash account; in case of District Secretary this second book should be also an account of books dealt out to the churches by the Director, and the third book a list of the names of the members of the Missionary Society in such District, classified by churches.

Bro. J. M., of District No. 3, inquires, Out of what fund shall the District Secretary obtain his books for records and accounts?

Reply. In District No. 9, the Secretary got all the books necessary for about one dollar, and esteemed it a pleasure to pay it out of her own pocket. I presume every Secretary would feel likewise in the matter.

Bro. E. A. S., District No. 9, inquires, Does the Director of each District need to keep a book?

Reply. He needs a good sized memorandum book in which to minute the names of all the officers in his District in each church &c., to make a minute of books dealt out, that he may report the same to the Secretary of his District; and, as he is Treasurer for the District his book must contain a cash account of all moneys received on the various objects that come before him in his District.

Bro. E. A. S., District No. 9, also asks, What book accounts do the Librarian and Business Agent need to keep?

Reply. The Librarian needs a list book for books received from the Director of his District, and to keep an account with each member of the books dealt out to them. He wants a cash account of the book sales, donations received, and also a list of the paid members in his respective church. The Business Agents of course will want a record of all the business done by them.

We are glad to see the questions come in; it evinces interest, and a desire to work. Study the Missionary work brethren and sisters, and take hold immediately to work. God will bless you in the doing.